Sunday, September 4, 2016

Best selling British author, M. A. Comley and I are proud to introduce the Deception series. Mel and I have talked about co-authoring for years, but only recently did we turn that talk into action. Although are genres are similar, our styles are somewhat different, and we wondered if we could find our rhythm. Once we found our character, Sergeant Alexandra Fox, the rest was easy. Early reviews of our introductory novella, Clever Deception, have thrilled and humbled us. If you're a member of Goodreads you can check out the early reviews there. Our first novel is now available for pre-order and will be released on October 1st. The novella, Clever Deception is also available for pre-order and will be released on September 14th. Book 2 is will under way. I hope you enjoy this sample of Tragic Deception. We believe Alex has a long and tempestuous career ahead of her.

Book Trailer for Clever Deception

TRAGIC DECEPTION

CHAPTER ONE

“As of eight o’clock this morning, we have three missing
babies. Only one is in our borough, but we’ll we working in conjunction with
all precincts. Talk to your CIs, keep your ears open, and knock down doors if
you have to—but find those babies.”

Commander Patterson was winding down his morning speech, and
for once, the squad room was quiet and somber. “Any questions?”

He waited only a second before issuing his final command.
“Then hit the streets and find those babies.” His dark eyes bored through the
crowd, homing in on her. “Fox, my office.”

Alexandra waited for the snickers and “Alex the Fox”
comments that usually followed his summons, which happened frequently—at least
once a month, and more likely than not, once a week. She shot a glance at her
current partner, Corey Graves, who averted his eyes and turned his back on her.
“Bloody tosser,” she mumbled as she pushed her way through the throng of
officers to follow the commander.

She knocked on the door and waited for the command that
would allow her to enter. Even after a year, Alex didn’t quite understand
American protocol. He’d ordered her to meet him in his office; why couldn’t he
just leave the damn door open?

“Come in.”

Opening the door, she stuck her head inside. “You wanted to
see me, sir?”

Patterson sighed heavily. “Come in and close the door behind
you.”

Alex stepped inside the room, closed the door, and took her
position in front of his desk. She’d made the mistake once of sitting down
without an invitation. Her face flushed at the memory. Patterson didn’t like
her, and she knew if it weren’t for Chief Brown, he would have fired her on the
spot. She’d learned to play Patterson’s game, but she didn’t like it.

Patterson eyed her over his glasses, a smirk playing around
his lips. “No surprise, but Officer Graves no longer wishes to partner with
you. He called you a ticking time bomb.”

“Right. Like I’m the bloody one off with the fairies.”

His face blanched. “What the hell does that mean, Fox?”

Alex met his gaze head on. “It means Graves needs to pull
his head out of his arse, stop ogling the skirts, and do his job. Most of us
eat three times a day. Graves has to be laid three times a day, or he can’t
function.”

His gaze slowly drifted away from hers when she refused to admit
defeat. He opened the window behind the desk, then leaned back in the chair,
bit off the end of a cigar, and lit it. His eyes held a challenge when they met
hers again. Smoking had been banned in New York for several years. An officer
could actually be dismissed if caught smoking on the grounds. She could report
him, but Patterson would probably get a slap on the wrist, and warning. “You’ve
lost six partners in the last year, Fox. I suppose all of them were ‘off with
the fairies’?”

The anger bubbling just below the surface rose, and Alex
clenched her hands at her side. He’s
probably going to fire me anyway, so sod it. “I have never lost a partner, sir. Not one of them has
been shot, knifed, beaten, or killed. I do my job, which is to have their back,
not inflate their egos or their willies.”

Patterson puffed on the cigar and blew smoke in her
direction. “Sit down, Fox.”

Pulling out a chair next to his desk, she sat, steeling
herself for a long lecture on the importance of loyalty and fitting in. A chill
shivered down her spine. She hoped he didn’t ask her about the bloody book he’d
given her last time. How to Win Friends
and Influence People. She’d thrown it in the trash after reading the first
chapter.

“You passed all the protocol for detective.” Patterson ruffled
the papers on his desk as he continued to huff and puff on the cigar. The smirk
around his lips widened. “Except one—a recommendation from me.”

“I’m a good copper, sir. I deserve that promotion.”

He shrugged. “The problem is your attitude and your refusal
to fit in.”

Anger surged to the surface again, and she gripped the arms
of the chair. “You mean conform, sir.
Not fit in.”

He eyed the white knuckles, and Alex took a deep breath,
forcing herself to relax as Patterson continued. “You’re not in England, Fox.
Half the time, we can’t understand what the hell you’re saying, and the other
half, we feel like you’re insulting us.” His jaw tightened, and his eyes
darkened. “Fit in or get out.”

“Recommend the promotion, and I’ll be out of your hair,
maybe even out of your district.”

He chuckled. “I’ll do you one better.” He rummaged through
the papers on his desk then pulled out a file and passed it to her. “You want
to be a detective? Find those babies before the FBI does, and I’ll recommend
your promotion.”

Alex flipped through the file, which contained some of the
same information that had been passed out earlier, along with a more in-depth
case summary listing the names and addresses of the parents, doctors, nurses,
and hospitals as well as pictures of the newborns.

“You’ve got a week. That’s how long I’m suspending you.”

Her head jerked up, and she once again met the dark gaze.
“Suspending me? For what, sir?”

“Insubordination.”

He continued to puff on the cigar and blow smoke in her
direction. He wanted her to challenge him. She hadn’t been insubordinate, but
he knew if he pushed hard enough, she could be.

“And how exactly am I supposed to investigate while under
suspension? I won’t have access to anything.”

He sneered. “You like working alone. Isn’t that what you’ve
told me for the last year?”

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

For one week only, you can get a combined set of three books for $.99
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Psychological Thrillers - Jacody Ives in The Gifts

Monday, July 4, 2016

Occasionally I take a break from the chaos, murder and madness of
my mysteries and legal thrillers and write just for fun. Prior to writing Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,
Jake Savior was my comedy relief. I
loved his witty attitude, and sense of moral justice. He was willing to kill for a price, but it
was the freebies he really enjoyed. I knew I would never publish this book, but
occasionally I look back and read what I’ve written and smile. Sometimes I add a new chapter just for
fun. Have you ever read a book or
watched a movie that was just, well, too far out there? Good Intentions was that for me. Good for a laugh, and brining an excellent
character to mind, but not really marketable.
Still, I’ll always be grateful to Good Intentions and the Jake Savior
contained therein, as he inspired portions of Beyond A Reasonable Doubt. Working with the justice system I can totally
understand his statement: “The courts
seen fit to let a pedophile go--I didn't.”
Poor Jake. Life was tough for a
killer for hire, but death without his cigarettes was even worse.

CHAPTER ONE

You grow up poor you've got to wonder if
God's got a sense of humor. All the crap life throws at you. And He gives you
mothers. It's kind of like that guy Brandon Lee said in the movie The
Crow--"Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children."

He got that right. My momma wasn't just a
good woman. She was a Saint. Somehow she managed to raise four kids on a
waitress' salary. And three of them turned out pretty good. Or would have. But
that's another story.

Sometimes when I'm thinking about momma I
have to wonder if she knew about God's sense of humor. She read us the good
book every night, but she never said nothing about no sense of humor. Still,
she had to know something. I mean, after three girls she got me. She had to
figure God was up to something.

I’m Jake Savior, and yeah you might as
well go ahead and laugh. Everybody else does. My clients are always telling me
God's got a sense of humor. The people looking for me weren't looking for a
savior. They were mostly searching the want ads for killer for hire. That's me.
For the right price I put a lot of people out of other people's misery. Heck, I
even done some for free. Some people deserve to die, and being the nice guy I
am, I gladly obliged them.

But I'm digressing. Let's get back to God's
sense of humor.

I'd had a pretty good day. Won a few bucks
on the horse races. Did a little charity work by ridding the world of one more
piece of garbage. The courts seen fit to let a pedophile go--I didn't. So I was
feeling pretty good about myself, except I was out of cigarettes.

Now anyone that knows me knows I love a
good smoke. Last count I was up to five packs a day. Momma always said those
thing were going to kill me. Turns out she was right.

Only a die-hard smoker goes out at 2:00
a.m. for smokes. Especially since all the safe places close down early, leaving
only a few gas stations and convenience stores open at that hour. Still, I was
willing to take my chances. It was too damn cold for thieves to be out and I
really, really wanted that last cigarette before I turned the lights out and
called it a day.

You've probably already concluded that I'm
a smart ass bastard that beats my own drum. Some people will smoke anything.
Not me. I'm a strict Kentucky Red's Best smoker. Which means whether I liked it
or not I was gonna have to hoof it over to Winchester Road at this time of
night. Not everybody carried Red's Best.

Being the cautious person I am, I scouted
the parking lot and looked inside for milling customers. No cars and only one
customer at the counter. I quickly ascertained he was one of the good guys like
me, needing that last deep drag to calm his nerves before he called it a night.
Boy was I wrong. Wrong place, wrong time and wrong guy. Five minutes after I
entered the door of the Shaky Seven Gas to Go bullets started flying.

I've always heard that your life passes
before your eyes when you're dying. Trust me, that's all bull. My last vision
was that pack of Red's Best I held in my hand, and my last thought was how good
that cigarette was gonna taste as soon as I got outside. Of course, that
wouldn't have surprised anyone who really knew me. It wasn't any big surprise
to me. I was surprised though. Having listened to momma all those years and
growing up with three sisters extolling virtues that I never needed or wanted,
I was expecting either that bright light to take me to Heaven, or most likely
in my case, a little fire and brimstone trail leading to Hell. That didn't
happen either.

# # #

"God, I'd kill for a cigarette."

"You're kidding right?"

I glanced over at the convenience store
clerk floating next to me as we both looked down at our bullet ridden bodies. I
had to chuckle a little. That pack of Red's Best was still clutched tightly in
my outstretched hand.

"Yeah, mom always said those things
were gonna kill me. Guess she can say 'I told you so' now."

"So, what do we do now?"

"Beats the hell out of me," I
stated turning to really look at the clerk. He was young, probably in his early
twenties and looked like he was gonna cry any minute.

"Jake Savior," I stuck out a
hand. I sure as hell didn't need someone blubbering all over me.

"Ronnie Smith," he stated, gaze
still riveted to his body. "Mom's gonna be really pissed. I don't know how
she's gonna pay the rent this month."

"Maybe she'll get lucky. Sue the
store and get a million dollars."

Ronnie finally looked at me, took the hand
I still had stuck out and shook it heartily. "Really? You think she can do
that?"

Truth was I didn't know shit about civil
lawsuits. Criminal law, yeah, I could advise you all day long on criminal law,
but civil suits were a different animal with a whole new breed of greedy
demons. Still, we were dead and what was he gonna do, sue me if I was wrong?

"Sure kid, happens every day."

"That would be nice."

"Hey, look, another late night smoker
coming in." We watched as the guy entered the store, took one look at the
blood and immediately jerked out a cell phone. A good Samaritan all the way. So
what if he loaded up on a few cartons of cigarettes, a couple of gallons of milk,
some bread and snacks and three cases of beer while he waited.

Sirens blared away and we watched as the
local cops pulled up, followed by paramedics. The good Samaritan stayed just
long enough to give a statement before hopping in his now loaded Toyota and
hitting the road. He'd be celebrating tonight and nobody the wiser.

I watched as the paramedic leaned over my
body, checked for a pulse and shook his head. "This one's dead."

"No, shit, Sherlock. I mean, really,
there's a hole right between my eyes."

"Hey, Jake. . ."

"Where the heck are you going?"
I yelled. Ronnie was slowly drifting backwards as if drawn by some unseen
force. I headed in his direction only to find myself up against an invisible
brick wall.

"Well, that sucks," I muttered,
kicking the wall only to find another long held belief wasn't true. You could
feel pain after death.

Being the naturally curious person I was,
and since death so far had held a hell of a lot more surprises than life, I
drifted back inside the store.

"We got a pulse."

The kid was still alive. Hallelujah. Hope
he doesn't tell his mother about that million dollars. She might really be
pissed then.

"Marty, you bag and tag that one when
the coroners done."

I'd always had a lot of respect for guys
like Marty. The things they had to deal with every day. Bet his friends called
him the bag and tag guy. I really wanted to pat him on the back until the fat
bastard leaned over and picked up my pack of Red's Best, stowing them in his
front pocket. "Don't guess he'll be needing these anymore."

They all laughed. Laughed.

I hope you get lung cancer you
son-of-a-bitch and die a long, slow, painful death.

I watched as they loaded the kid into the
ambulance, lights flashing, sirens blasting. Might have been happy about that
if the fat bastard hadn't chosen that moment to light up one of my Best's.
Smoke drifted my way. A tantalizing aroma of pure Heaven.

"Hey, Marty, you got that body
bag?"

I watched the red tip as it arced through
the air, landing a few feet away. There was still half a cigarette left. Dumb
bastard. You don't throw away half of one of Kentucky's best brands. You smoke
it slowly, savoring the aroma and taste.

I spent the next five minutes trying to
wrap my newly dead fingers around that cigarette. I could see it. Smell it. And
if I closed my eyes, I could even taste it. But try as I might I couldn't pick
the damn thing up.

Frustrated I sat back down on the curb,
listening as the cops made jokes as they loaded my body into the wagon. It
wasn't funny. Wasn't funny at all.

So the next time you're sitting around
feeling sorry for yourself and you think life ain't fair, try dying at a
late-night convenience store for a pack of cigarettes and then find out you've
got to sit and watch some other lucky bastard enjoy them.

That's when it hit me. Yep, God's got a
real sense of humor. At least if Ronnie was here I'd have somebody to share my
misery with.

So this is hell. Stuck here in what I can
only describe as grey matter to watch life pass me by, totally unable to
intervene or enjoy even the simplest of things. That's what I was beginning to
think. But that was before the kid. The kid changed everything and hell started
looking pretty good to me.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Having followed the Justice series since book 1, Cruel Justice, I've developed a super sensitivity to Lorne Warner and her family and friends. As with all great books it's necessary to like or hate the characters. M. A. Comley weaves a cast of main characters that have been easy to love, and a cast of antagonists that for some might cause nightmares, but for others allows you the opportunity to look into the minds of some seriously evil villains.

Twisted Justice doesn't disappoint. Not only does Ms. Comley bring back out favorites, Lorne and Katy and their MET crew, but also combines that with new favorites DI Sally Parker (Wrong Place and No Hiding Place). The story starts with the a bang, and the action doesn't let up as these two well-seasoned crime professionals go after a family crime unit that would rival the American early Mafia families.

The antagonists, led by a very determined, controlling and cold mother, are real enough to have been formerly portrayed in true crime stories. Believable unfortunately in the world we live in today. Greed knows no bounds, and there is no honor among thieves.

Twisted Justice offers the reader a well developed and believable plot, in-depth and fabulous characterization. If you love crime procedurals you'll love this one.

Looking for a new series that will give you months of enjoyment, then check out the remainder of the Justice series.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Having read all the horror stories about the mortgage crisis of 2008 and 2009, all the Consent Orders and lawsuits with all the fines paid, I thought perhaps this was a thing of the past. Until they foreclosed on my son during a divorce. That's a long story that maybe he'll share someday. But in looking over his documents when finally produced I decided to check the signature on the Affidavit and notary. What I found isn't set in stone, but it does beg to ask the question--is JPMorgan Chase still robo-signing documents? I'm not a document expert, but I don't think you have to be to look at these signatures and know they weren't signed by the same person. I pulled the documents off line so anybody can look at them, they're public documents. What do you think? The first is a letter actually signed by this lady that I found on line. Doesn't match any of the signatures does it?

A good document expert could probably testify that no these weren't signed by the same person, which clearly means that the notary oath wasn't administered and the person signing the affidavit didn't appear in front of the notary--which you would think should legally make the document a fraud. Just like it did in 2008 and 2009. Document experts cost money, as do attorneys, and most people can't afford that. And unfortunately most lawyers can't take a case they can't make money on. They have bills too. It's why thousands of foreclosures make it through the court without anything being done to enforce the laws supposedly made to protect those homeowners. But until the government agencies that make the laws enforce them in a way that stops this from being done, homeowners will always suffer. Don't get me wrong, I believe a bank has the right to collect the money it's due. But if you research the cases you'll find that the person suing isn't always the person that's owed the money. Yes, those servicing loans can sue you if they have the authority of the person who is owed the money, but can they work loss-mitigation with you if they don't have authority? Can they make you an offer to settle and then say, oh, we're sorry our investor denied that. Bring MERs into the picture with incomplete assignments, unrecorded transfers and bad title issues and you have a real mess. A mess that should have gone away in 2008 and 2009. But from the documents I'm looking at it's still here. Why? Why if you have a legitimate loan, legitimate lawsuit, the person really owes the money and are in default does any bank, corporation, or association need to that? They make billions, can they truly not afford to hire enough employees to make sure things are done right? Can they not afford the $13.50 filing fee when a note or mortgage is sold or changes hands and by state law must be recorded? Surely they can.

According to the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution you have certain rights, including:

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Welcome to the International Authors' Day Blog Hop 2015

To honor authors and readers, I have a $25.00 Gift Card to Amazon so that the winner can purchase some of their favorite authors' books. Don't forget to enter at the bottom, and visit the other blogs where you can also win some fabulous prizes.

Bloggers from around the country have come together to celebrate books and authors, and to say thank you. As an author I truly appreciate this, and as a reader I'd love to say thank you to all the wonderful authors who made my childhood an imaginative world of fascination. Even now I love to get lost in a great book and if I'm not writing -- I'm reading. Some of my favorite authors have been Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Kay Hooper, Tami Hoag and occasionally Stephen King. And I will say thank you to these wonderful authors for many hours of reading pleasure and some nightmares.

Two years ago I discovered another wonderful author, Indie Author, M. A. Comley. I have thoroughly enjoyed her Justice series and getting to know DI Lorne Simpkins, now DS Lorne Warner. Thanks to social media I've had the opportunity to "meet" Mel online and we've become friends, as many of her fans do. It doesn't take long to know that not only is she a very talented author, but she's also a warm, friendly and wonderful person. I consider the opportunity to talk with authors one of the greatest advantages of social media, and I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Mel and her wonderful characters. I will warn you up front, not all of her books are for the squeamish. She tackles real life subjects that most of us would like to pretend don't exist, and she does it in a way that's both informative and entertaining. A long time fan of shows like Criminal Minds and Blacklist I've found her insights into the criminal mind both terrifying and refreshing, and I do thank God it's fiction, although many times it reads like true crime.

Meet the Author:

New York Times, USA Today, Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, iBooks top 5 bestselling and #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble. Mel is a British author who moved to France in 2002, and that's when she turned her hobby into a career.

Mel shares her home with Mum, and her wonderful dog, Dex, who keeps her in shape by dragging her on long walks around the village.

I wanted to share two of my favorites from Ms. Comley for 2015.

Dubious Justice, Book 11 in the Justice series is definitely one of my all time favorites. An emotional, fast paced mystery that will have you reaching for Kleenex and cheering at the end.

Wrong Place - the debut novel in the DI Sally Parker series has quickly become my favorite read of 2015. Absolutely loved the fact that although the head of a law enforcement unit, Sally Parker reads like a real person, and someone you know before you finish the book. Mel has a way of pulling you into her character's lives, giving you a real glimpse into the everyday problems they face while trying to solve gruesome crimes. A fabulous read, and one I highly recommend.

If you're looking for a new series author, I can highly recommend Ms. Comley as she has several other series that are equally good, but these are my favorites. A great big Thank You to Mel for hours of reading enjoyment. Please keep them coming.